Titans 20 Issue 6: Return to Gotham
by Spydr22
Summary: Robin and Storm head to Gotham city to find out more about Red X and only Catwoman can help. Will Robin and Catwoman be able to put aside their differences in order to bring down a new threat? And who exactly is Red X? Find out in this issue of Teen Titans 2.0
1. Chapter 1

**Titans 2.0 **

**Story Arc 1: Titans GO!**

**Issue 6: Return To Gotham **

**4:07 PM**

**Triskelion II**

**August 22,2011 (Mon)**

**In a descending elevator**

**"Ok," Peter said as he went down a list on the clipboard in his hand. "So Durrann and I managed to squeeze in the oil slick, ejector seat, and password protection system into the dashboard panel and just about everything else you asked for is in the gear shift panel. Some stuff was a bit too complicated for us to build but it's pretty good for a first try." **

**"Hey, I'd be happy if it manages to pull out of the driveway," said Jade jokingly. The elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal the "garage" of the Triskelion . It was full of S.H.I.E.L.D tanks, motorcycles, and other vehicles as well as an object under a white sheet surrounded by the rest of the team in their respective civilian identities. **

**"Well," said Jade as she and Peter approached the team. "Let's see it." **

**Durrann Brown zoomed to the front of the sheet and began his well-rehearsed speech. **

**"Ladies and Gentlemen , boy and girls, teenagers of all ages, I give you, modified by the brilliant mind of Durrann Brown and the much less brilliant mind of Peter Parker the one, the only, the mechanic mercenary, the rumble in the jungle," quickly, Durrann sped around the sheet just fast enough to create a gust strong enough to blow the sheet away. "THE T-CAR!" Underneath the sheet was a bright red sports car decorated with Flash's lightning blot on the sides and Robin's insignia on the hood. **

**"So, whaddya think," asked Peter. **

**"I think," said Jade as she walked over to the car and began to examine it. "I think that this car was black when I bought it." **

**"Yeah," said Durrann. "But red looks so much better on me." **

**Jade rolled her eyes in annoyance. "And out of curiosity, where'd you get the name T-Car?"**

**"Well," began Durrann. " Pete and I were going through some old blueprints for a "how to modify a sports car for dummies" book and we came across some blueprints for the car of the previous titans."**

**"Ppfft," exclaimed Peter in disbelief. "As if. You wanted to name it the "Flash-mobile" !" **

**"Would've been better said T-Car," Durrann argued back. **

**"Well, paintjob aside," said Jade. "Excellent work you two. I'll be leaving immediately. " Jade reached into the front pocket of her jeans and pulled out car keys. "I should be back before school starts," she said as she unlocked the door and hopped into the driver's seat. **

**"About that," interrupted Peter, sticking his head through the passenger side window. "I was thinking that maybe you should-"**

**"Should what," snapped Jade as she started the engine. **

**"Well," said Peter. "It's just that the last time you were in Gotham alone you got captured by Mysterio and that guy with the faces."**

**"Two Face," asked Jade. **

**"Yeah that guy," Peter replied. " So I was thinking that maybe you should take one of us with you." **

**Jade rolled the thought around in her mind as she weighed the pros and cons of taking a companion with her. Her thoughts flashed to her two most recent solo ventures: Her encounter with Two Face and Mysterio in the alley that resulted in her capture, and when she was knocked unconscious by Red X after crashing into the warehouse alone. "Yeah," Jade said as she stepped out of the car. "You've got a point there Mr. Parker." **

**"Great," smiled Peter. "Now the question is, who ya taking?"**

**7: 52 P.M**

**Highway I-90**

**Should I say something, thought Ororo Munroe as she and Jade sped down the highway. I mean, we've been riding for almost three hours and neither of us have said I word. I should totally say something. She fidgeted with her fingers in her lap for a moment before deciding to speak. **

**"Sooo," began Ororo, breaking the awkward silence. "We're going to Wayne Manor eh?"**

**"Yep," replied Jade.**

**"That's pretty awesome."**

**"I guess."**

**The two fell into silence for another few minutes until Ororo decided to restart the conversation.**

**"Well thanks for bringing me along," Ororo said with a weak smile. **

**"Sure," replied Jade.**

**"So, why me," Ororo asked. **

**Jade glanced over at her it was almost as if she didn't understand the question.**

**"I mean, why did you pick me to take with you anyways," clarified Ororo**

**Jade's eyes returned to the road. "You were the most logical choice," she said. "Peter annoys me and he has family over, Flash would have hit on me the entire ride, Static has a hard time restraining his powers; if something were to happen in the cave I wouldn't want him to trash it, and there's just something about this new "Captain America" that doesn't sit well with me." **

**"Oh," said Ororo as she looked down at her hands.**

**"I mean, that wasn't the only reason," said Jade quickly, hearing the disappointment in Ororo's voice. "You are a nice companion."**

**"Thank you," said Ororo. "Sorry, but I thought that maybe you needed someone to girl talk with." **

**"Girl talk ?" asked Robin. **

**"You know," said Ororo. "Hair, makeup, clothes, shoes, boys, or girls if that's what you're into. I mean not to say that you're interested in women but I mean if you -" Jade flung her hand up in front of Ororo's face to stop her rambling. **

**"I get it," she said. "Just haven't girl talked in a while." **

**"Oh," said Ororo. "But are you-do you-I mean it's none of my business but I-" Jade held her hand up again. **

**"It's ok," she said. "I'm not bisexual. I admit, there was a time when I was a bit curious but that was a while back. So you don't have to worry about me hitting on you or anything." **

**"Oh no," said Ororo with a smile. "I wasn't worried I was just interested is all." **

**"Interested?" asked Jade as she raised her eyebrow. "So are you?" **

**"No no no no," said Ororo blushing slightly. "That was a poor choice of words. I meant curious." **

**"Oh and besides," said Jade as she recalled her more recent observations of her team. "You're into Static aren't you?" **

**"Yeah kinda," replied Ororo blushing even more. **

**"But," started Jade, "You seem to be keeping him on thin ice lately." Unconsciously, the gears in her mind that her mentor had instilled in her, the gears that could breakdown any criminal with just the basic information in a file, began to turn.**

**"I don't even know why," Ororo sighed, turning her head toward the passenger window. "I'm not even mad at him anymore. And I really do like him."**

**"You're probably still grieving over Hank." Jade spoke quickly. So quickly in fact that she hadn't realized what she had said until the words had already been spoken. It only took her a matter of seconds to come to terms with what she had just said. But by then, Ororo was already looking over at her will disbelief, and a small tear in her eyes.**

**"How-," stuttered Ororo, "How did you -" Ororo couldn't finish her sentence for the memories that came flooding into her mind. Hank McCoy, otherwise known as Beast, was Ororo's boyfriend six months ago. Then Ultimatum happened. Despite the time that had passed, Ororo could still remember the wet, lifeless corpse that Warren Worthington brought back to her and the other X-men on that horrific day. It still gave her nightmares. **

**"I'm sorry," Jade glanced at Ororo with concern. " I've read all of your files. It just slipped out." **

**"It's fine," replied Ororo as she mustered a smile. "I guess I really needed to hear that. I guess I haven't really come to terms with it myself have I? " **

**"No," said Jade. "Not if you're letting your feelings for him get in the way of your feelings for Virgil." Looking over at her companion, Jade saw Ororo look down into her lap with an expression of melancholy. "You really like him huh," Jade asked. **

**"Yeah," Ororo replied. **

**Jade sighed. "Well, I think that Hank would want you to be happy Ororo. A pretty girl like yourself shouldn't have to spend her life alone." **

**Almost blushing, Ororo replied. "Thanks." **

**"And don 't worry," Jade continued. "I won't tell anyone." **

**"Really," Ororo asked with a gleam in her eye. "That is extremely cool of you." **

**"Well I am an extremely cool person," replied Jade in a cocky tone. **

**Feeling more relaxed around her travelling partner, Ororo took a look around the car again . It seemed far more inviting than when she initially entered. There was something else. This time, Ororo noticed the corner of a CD case sticking out beside Robin's seat. **

**"Is that what I think it is" asked Ororo as she grabbed the CD case. She didn't even get to bring the case close enough to read before Robin snatched it from her hand. **

**"No, no it isn't," Jade snapped quickly. "This CD contains-Wayne Manor's-important audio files." **

**Ororo smiled at the obvious lie. "Audio files huh?" She held the CD from the case up for Jade to see. " Let's have a listen then." Before Jade could reach for the disc, Ororo jammed it into the CD player.  
**

**J-pop came blasting through the car's speakers. **

**Embarrassed, Jade quickly pushed the stop button. Only moments ago, she was "extremely cool." Now, here she was with girly, poppy , Japanese music on her CD. She had been compromised. She didn't dare look at Ororo' s face. **

**"I know," Jade started. " The leader of the mini Justice League isn't supposed to-"**

**"I freaking love J-pop!" Ororo's face lit up with excitement. Jade's face relaxed with relief. "I was the only one at the whole school who did. Where did you get this vinyl?" **

**"W-Well," Jade began cautiously. "I sort of got Bruce to invest in some Japanese music companies. So, I usually get early access to new albums. I've actually got a ton in my room at home. " **

**Ororo screeched with joy. "This is great! OMG, we can listen to them all night and do each other's hair and nails." She leaned over and threw her arm around the driver's shoulder. "I tell you Robin," Ororo said. "This is the start of a beautiful friendship." **

**"Maybe it is," said Jade with a chuckle. "And you can just call me Jade." **


	2. Chapter 2

**10:00 PM**

**Gotham City**

**Wayne Manor **

**"And then what happened," Ororo asked, laughing as she smiled from ear to ear. For the past few hours, she and Jade had begun to tell each other the most odd and hilarious stories from their past. **

**"What do you think happened," replied Jade. "I left his sorry ass outside!" Ororo burst out into laughter, clutching her side as she rocked back and forth in the passenger seat. **

**"You're killing me here," she laughed, wiping tears from her eyes."I know it's supposed to be my turn next, but you gotta tell me another." **

**"Maybe later," Jade answered with a smile, "Once we get inside." **

**"We're here already," Ororo asked. She was so immersed in the story that she hadn't even noticed that Jade had driven through downtown Gotham and was now pulling into a long, winding driveway. Ororo leaned forward an awe as they approached Wayne Manor. It was enormous-far larger than the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Wow," she said. "Just wow. This place is freaking huge!" **

**Jade shrugged as she drove the car up the driveway. "Yeah. It gets underwhelming after a while though." After a few more moments of driving, Jade parked the car in front of the mansion's front entrance. She and an awe-struck Ororo got out of the car. "Follow me," Jade said, motioning Ororo in her direction as she began to walk ahead. **

**Ororo began to run after her friend, her mouth still gaping open as she took in the enormous estate. Then she remembered. "Oh wait," she interjected. "But what about our bags?" **

**"Don't worry about those," Jade replied as she walked. "I'll have Alfred put them in our rooms." **

**"Alfred? Who's Alfred?" A confused Ororo asked as she followed her friend.**

**"He's the butler," Jade answered. **

**Ororo's eyes widened even more. "You have a butler?" **

**Sure enough, as the two approached the front door, an old man wearing a suit and carrying a tray of tea came out of the house. Ororo figured that he was well into his 70's. **

**"Mistress Jade," said Alfred. He bowed slightly as Jade reached the entrance. "Good to see that you have returned home safely. I trust your trip back went well." **

**"I missed you too Alfred," Jade replied with a smirk. She reached out and took a cup of tea. "Alfred," she began as she sipped. "This is Ororo. Ororo, this is Alfred. She'll be staying here with us until school starts." **

**Alfred bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you miss." **

**"Please," said a blushing Ororo. "You don't have to bow. The pleasure is all mine." **

**"Now that the two of you are acquainted," Jade said. "Alfred, would you be so kind as to get our bags and put them in our rooms. Put Ororo's in the room next to mine." **

**"As you wish," said Alfred with a bow. The butler stepped into the house, set the tray and tea down, and set out down the driveway. **

**"Come on," Jade said to Ororo. "Follow me." **

**Jade and Ororo entered the mansion's foyer, turned right and came to an enormous den with a fireplace and a gigantic bookshelf. **

**"Wait," said Ororo, with a look of disbelief on her face. "Are we going-"**

**"Yep," Jade smiled back as she approached the bookshelf. "To the Bat-Cave." Jade removed a book entitled "Webster's guide to the English Language" and clicked a panel on the bookshelf. As she stepped back, the bookshelf moved to revel an elevator. "After you," said Jade, motioning to her guest. **

**10:20 P.M **

**Gotham City **

**Bat-Cave**

**"This is so AMAZING!" Ororo could hardly believe her eyes as she stepped out of the elevator and into the Bat-Cave. "All around her were artifacts and items from villains that Batman had put away. "I've heard rumors but I could never have imagined it to be so magnificent!" She turned to Jade with excitement and wonder in her voice. "You got to live with all of this in your basement?!" **

**"Yeah," replied Jade unenthusiastically as she made her way to the enormous computer system in the center of the cave. "Lucky me." Jade powered on the computer system an began to type vigorously. **

**"Hey," began a curious Ororo as she stared into a glass container that contained an odd, blue device. Her eyes were wide with curiosity and admiration. "Isn't this that thing that the Mr. Cold guy used to try and freeze the city over that one time? It was all over the news." **

**"Yeah," replied Jade without looking back. "What about it?" **

**Hearing the obvious lack of interest in her new friend's voice, Ororo tried to tone her excitement down. "Nothing," she said. "It's just you have so much cool stuff in here! I can't believe you've never said anything about it." **

**Jade continued typing. Her eyes were practically glued to the screen. "I don't mean to be rude," she started. But when you've seen some of the hellish things that go one down here, this cave becomes more of a house of horrors with wifi."**

**"Wow. He really rubbed off on you didn't he?" Ororo jumped in surprise. Jade's ears twitched. That wasn't Ororo's voice coming from the dark cave ceiling. "You're starting to sound just like him." **

**Despite the mysterious voice, Jade kept focused on her work as a figure in a skin-tight, black leather suit dropped from the ceiling and landed behind her. "I was hoping that you would've just kept your mouth shut and let me work," Jade griped. **

**Behind Jade stood Selena Kyle, better known to Gotham City as Catwoman. **

**"Now now," pouted Catwoman. "Is that really the way a young lady should speak to her mother?"**

**As Selena spoke the word "mother," Jade's fingers stopped typing. **

**Ororo had never seen Jade move so quickly. It was as though in a single motion, Jade stood before Catwoman holding a Robin-rang to the woman's throat. Her eyes looked as though they would slit it just as quickly. **

**Jade pressed the sharp metal into Selena's soft, pale skin. She watched as a small stream of blood began to trickle down from the cut. Jade looked up into Catwoman's eyes. She didn't have her goggles on. That was good. Jade wanted her to see the burning hate in her eyes without any obstructions. **

**"You are ****not**** my mother," Jade said. Then, just as quickly as she had approached Catwoman, Jade turned and was headed toward the computer. She stopped half way, turned, and threw the Robin-rang. It whizzed passed Selena, leaving another cut on her neck. With that, Jade returned to typing. "Now get out, or the next one won't miss." **

**"I doubt that," replied Catwoman calmly. Just as she wiped the blood on her neck away with her thumb, another Robin-ran sped toward her, lightly cutting her flesh again. **

**"Drop dead," Robin said, still typing. **

**"Um , Excuse me?" A confused Ororo spoke, her voice cracking slightly. "But what just happened?" **

**With a sly grin, Catwoman turned her attention toward the unfamiliar girl cowering behind her. **

**"Nothing," stated Jade, not taking her eyes off of the screen. "Just ignore her and hopefully she'll go away. Just keep any valuables in plain sight." **

**Ororo began to breathe heavily as the strange woman in black leather slinked toward her with a smile. **

**"Well well, " Catwoman started. She began to circle Ororo as she spoke as if she was examining her. "Who do we have here? Pretty face, nice rack, and a figure that would make a hourglass jealous."**

**Ororo wrapped her arms around her body in fear. "Um-I-" **

**"And such a sweet, innocent voice," Catwoman interjected with excitement. "Where'd you find her Jade," Selena asked, still smiling at Ororo. "I might want one for later." **

**Jade did not glance away from the computer for a second. But given the seriousness of her voice, she didn't have to."Touch so much as a hair on her head," Jade said. "And I will beat you unconscious with my bear hands, lay you on my coffee table, and cut you open. Then, I will proceed to jack you up on drugs so that you are forced to stay awake and watch me slowly gut you like a fish. Afterwards, I will leave you to die of suffocation from the stench of your own, rotting, flesh. Are we clear Ms. Kyle?" **

**"You know," Catwoman pouted as she walked up behind Jade and wrapped her arms around her waist. "I'm getting the feeling that you don't want your old lady around." Jade, still busy on the computer, did not flinch. "Such a shame too," Catwoman continued. "I always wanted to be a cool mom." **

**"What are you doing here anyway Selena," Jade asked as Catwoman began to lovingly run her fingers through Jade's hair. **

**"Same as you baby girl," Selena whispered. "I'm trying to find him." **

**"Funny," Jade said. "I thought that with him gone, you'd enjoy your little crime spree." **

**"Oh I am," Catwoman retorted. "But I miss him too. I'm worried about him. I care about him. "**

**"Wow," Jade said, rolling her eyes. "Worrying and caring about someone who isn't yourself? How out of character for you." Jade stopped typing for a moment and turned her head to the woman who still stood behind her, hugging her. "Well, have you found anything useful?" **

**"No," Catwoman replied. "After he was officially missing, I started coming here and searching through the computer for leads, but no turnouts. Then a few days ago I heard Alfred on the phone with you about living arrangements. So, I figured that you must've had something and that maybe I could-"**

**"No!" Jade cut the woman off promptly. She flung her arm back, pushing Selena off of her. **

**"Please," Catwoman pleaded. "Let me help you find him."**

**"No," Jade said sternly. "It's not happening." **

**"I'm helping you and you can't tell me otherwi-"**

**SMACK!**

**This time, Catwoman was interrupted not by words, but by a slap to the face. **

**"Look," Jade started. "I don't trust you anymore. I don't see how Bruce can stand the sight of you-let along get off inside of such a slutty bitch! But the only reason that you're not lying in a pool of your own blood right now is because ****he**** cares about you." Jade thrust her arm and pointed in the direction of a silent, confused Ororo. "I brought a ****friend ****with me to help with this and the last thing that I need is for you to do to her what you did to me." **

**"But Jade I-"Selena began again only to be cut short. **

**"Get out," Jade said. "Now."**

**Catwoman was silent for a moment. She rubbed her leather fingers against the red blotch on her face. "Okay, I'm-I'm sorry." she said. With that, Selena Kyle turned and walked silently toward the back of the cave. The sound of her footsteps echoed one after another. **

**After a few minutes, the clacking of Catwoman's feet faded away. **

**"So," began Ororo with a sigh of relief. "What was that all about?" She approached her new friend only to be stopped as Jade's extended her open hand from behind her. **

**"I don't want to talk about it," Jade said. "You should go upstairs. . . . Your room should be ready by now." **


End file.
